Stonewall Connerly

As most readers will know, Ward Connerly, along with three other conservatives, was recently the recipient of a $250,000 award from the Bradley Foundation. Here’s an e-mail I wrote to him about his speech accepting the award.

Dear Ward,

I just read your speech to the Bradley Foundation at NRO. I really like the way you kept making the point that Bradley by awarding you was not just giving out an award (since various awards are so common nowadays), but, rather, was validating your principles within the conservative movement. It was important for you to underline this fact, since, as you pointed out, powerful segments within the conservative movement and the Republican party, including the White House, have backed away from (I would say they have explicitly abandoned) the true American idea of equality.

I also think your presentation of your views was very good. In particular, by stating your principles narrowly, i.e., that the government treat all citizens by the same rule, you raised a clear standard that no one can gainsay. This is much better than what a lot of conservatives do today when they talk about the need to achieve a “color-blind society.” Since people have color and are not color-blind, a color-blind society is a utopian goal that can only be attempted to be reached by intrusive, nutty, increasingly desperate measures. But the goal of a society in which government treats all citizens by the same rule is achievable and is in harmony with basic American principles. So you have built your house upon a rock.

Best regards,
Larry Auster

Posted by Lawrence Auster at April 16, 2005 01:34 PM | Send